The Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) says it will hire an expatriate high performance consultant to reset and lead the Malawi Queens ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the 2026 Africa Netball Cup.
The 2026 Africa Netball Cup. will also serve as 2027 Netball World Cup Qualifiers.
NAM general secretary Yamikani Kauma confirmed the development yesterday, saying this is a strategic initiative that reflects the association’s commitment to enhancing tactical performance, strengthening technical capacity and building long term sustainability while preserving and enhancing Malawi’s rich and respected netball culture.
“At the centre of this reset is the engagement of international high performance expert to work alongside NAM technical leadership, athletes and support staff,” she said.
“The focus is on modernising training systems, strengthening match execution, improving conditioning and mental resilience and ensuring the Malawi Queens are fully prepared to compete consistently against the world’s best.”
Kauma said the expatriate will also focus on capacity building and succession plan of six Malawian coaches, who will be identified and embedded into the high performance environment.
However, she could not tell whether the expatriate will be roped in on a permanent or short-term basis.
She also kept a tight lid on who will be responsible for the expatriate’s renumeration. Malawi Queens are financed by the government and official corporate sponsor Nico Group.
Kauma said the high performance reset prioritises strengthening technical leadership and coaching depth as well as mentoring local coaches as part of succession planning, enhancing athlete conditioning, mental resilience and performance analysis.
“As part of this process, recruitment for a full technical and high performance support team is currently underway, ensuring a multi-disciplinary approach that aligns coaching, conditioning, medical, psychology and performance analysis services,” said Kauma.
In a separate interview, NAM president Vitumbiko Gubuduza said the structured mentorship and hands on training model is designed to accelerate technical and tactical knowledge transfer, improve coaching standards across the national pathway and build a sustainable pool of elite local coaches while ensuring a long term continuity beyond the current competition cycle.
She said this approach ensures that the benefits of international expertise extend well beyond the national team, strengthening the broader Malawian netball ecosystem.
Gubuduza said the Malawi Queens have a proud and respected history on the international stage, inspiring players and supporters across the country and following encouraging performance at the Netball Youth World Cup and the Africa Netball Cup, the focus is now on converting emerging talent into consistent senior level success.
“This is a deliberate and strategic step forward for Malawi Netball,” she said.
“Malawi Netball has a legacy that commands respect. This initiative is about honouring that history while investing in the future and NAM intends to fully prioritise that strategic objective.”
NAM started the search for the expatriate consultant, who will double as the national netball team coach, after former Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa refused to extend her short-term deal after guiding the team to a fourth-place finish at the Africa Netball Cup Malawi hosted in Lilongwe in DEcember.
Chawinga-Kalua argued that she could only nod to a permanent deal as another temporary contract could undermine her work and the team’s stability.
